Teaching at Home
What does it take to get your children ready for kindergarten?
What if you don't have the "gift of teaching" and you want to help your child perform at his/her best.
What if your child is not excited about reading?
Here are some ways to help.
|
Help with Addition
I help Walter with his math and understanding addition in a visual and physical way.
I take a regular sheet of paper with two big circles and a plus sign between them.
I take a number of pennies and place them in the first circle.
One by one we take a penny from one circle and move it to the other circle.
We then write down each addition problem and switch the facts.
|
Fly Swatter Word Game
Sounds weird, doesn't it?
Fly Swatter Word Game
What the heck is that?!
A great game for learning letters, words, math, whatever!
Using fly swatters, you get to smack a card...
|
Read to Them
First, one of the things you can do for your child is to read to them. Period.
But they don't sit still...
|
Coin Chart- Sorting and Graphing
I had Walter go through about 70 coins and sort them- quarter, dime, nickel and penny.
Then, we counted the coins in group. We took the numbers and made a bar chart so he could visibly see which coin we had the most of and which one we had the least of.
What a great activity!
|
Number Line
I am helping Walter to learn his numbers from 1 to 100. We are creating a number line so he can learn to write, recognize and understand the numbers. We are doing greater and lesser than activities.
At the end, he will understand why there are 4 quarters in a dollar.
|
A New Math Game - with playing cards
My son is a bright child. He is not always motivated to do math drills or practice reading. He loves games.
So, I created a math game with playing cards.
I took out all cards except 2-10.
Then I created a box of squares with numbers 4-20 on each square.
Each player starts with one card. For every turn, they draw 2 cards.
They then select two cards to add together (leaving the third card in their hand) and find the sum on the chart.
They then discard those two cards they use to find the particular sum. The player then marks off that number on the chart.
|
Ask Them Why
Another thing I do with my little ones, Walter and Carrie, is ask questions. Do you get tired of hearing them ask "why" so much. Yes, I do.
But I also ask them why.
|
Number Squares
I use foam pads (like large puzzle pieces) and write numbers on each one.
You can also use chalk and draw squares on smooth cement.
We use a die that is made out of sponge material. We got ours at the parent-teacher store.
|
Pictionary Charades
This game is great for all ages. Have the older kids write words on a piece of paper. The younger kids when they draw won't be able to read it, but have a reader read/whisper it to them.
The person whose turn it draws a piece of paper, reads the word and can either draw it or act it out depending on how hard it might be or what their strength is.
It reinforces writing, reading and includes a game and encourages the family to join
|
Pictionary Reading
One of the things we have been doing with Walter is play a pictionary style game that reinforces reading...
|
Sticky Note Scavenger Hunt
I used to play a game with my younger brother. We played a scavenger hunt- type game.
We would use sticky notes and have them all over the house.
"For #1 go to the piano" then you would go to the piano and hunt for the next hint
|
Flash Cards at Lunch/Breakfast
Sometimes during lunch, I'll take out flashcards.
For my 3 year old, I use letter flash cards.
For my 5 year old, I use word/reading flash cards.
Each one takes a turn.
This has been helpful b/c my daughter doesn't always guess the correct letter, and my 5 year old chimes in.
So he is "teaching" his sister her letters.
|
|